Inside casing or tool joint cutter



July 14, 1931. 1mv A. LINCOLN 1,314,048

INSIDE CASING OR T0014 JOINT CUTTER Filed March 22. 1928 I g'wuentov Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STA ES PATENT? orr cr.

. 303E111 atnicomq, or PAMPA, TEXAS, Assrelvon or ONE-Harare AMERICAN IRON & MAcnmnwoRxsINo, or OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION or l. for operation at V in the well.

OKLAHOIA INSIDE CASING R TOOL: JOINT .cU'rTER Application filed March 22, 1928. Serial No. 263,879.

' This invention relates to insidecasing or tool joint cutters and has for an important object thereof the provision of a device of this character which maybe readily tripped practically any desired level I A further object-of the invention is to providea device, of this character so constructed thata cut may always be made a predetermined distance from a casing joint.

A still further object f the invention is to provide a casing cutter having projectible blades and an operating member therefor, this member having casing engaging 15 elements which are positioned to engage the casing to hold the member and thus causing a, projection of the blades by relative movement between the operating member and the element carrying blades.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a structure, wherein the casing enaging elements,-by means of which proecting of the blades is effected, are so connected with the blades that there is no interference with the operationthereof during the actual cutting operation.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be readilyand cheaply manufactured, which will be durable and efiicient in service and a general improvement in the art. c 7

These and other objectslgattain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferredembodiment of myinvention and wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an insidecasing cutter constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1; p h

igure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fi re 1.

eferring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 'indicates a tool body having adjacent its upper end Idiametrically opposed openings 11 through which may be projected cutters 12 which are adapted to engage and sever a casing or other conduit. These blades are pivoted at 13 within the casing and may be withdrawn within the body to prevent their accidental engagement during raising or lowering of the tool. This body has a bore 14, the wall of which is internally flanged at a point spaced below the cutters, as indicated at 15; Mounted for vertical shifting movement in this bore is a head 16having oppositely beveled faces 17 adapted to engage against the blades l2'and urgethem outwardly as the head is moved upwardly in the bore. Theupper surface of-this head is providedwith ears, l8'which lie adjacent the side face of each blade and through which are directed pins 19 operating in slots 20 formed in the blades so as 'to prevent these blades from being thrown outwardly by centrifugal force and tocause the blades to be drawn inwardly as the head is moved downwardly.

This head has a reduced extension 21, the lower end of which is provided with a socket 22 which is internally threadedat' its lower end, as indicated at 23. -W'ithin thc'upper end of the socket is arranged a thrust bearing 24 against which engagesthe head 25 'of a blade projecting plunger 26. Engaged with the threads 23 is a ring 25a which pres I vents withdrawal of the head from the socket. The lower end of this plunger projects below, the lower end of the tool body and is provided with a pair of stops or dogs 27 pivotedsthereto at 28, so .thatlthey may swing outward under the influence of centrifugal force} Pins 29 limit the movement of the stops 27 under the influence of such force and the :stops, when positioned against their pins 29, have their outer, ends arranged apart a distance slightly greater than the internal diameter of the conduit in which they are to be employed.

The plunger 26 is normally held. against either rotation or vertical movement in the tool body by a readily frangible pin 30.

In the use of a tool of this character, it is lowered into the well at the lower. end of a tool string to the point where the cut is to bemade. The entire, tool string is then rapidlyrotated. This causes the stops 27 to be thrown outwardly and the tool is then lowered until the triggers come into engagement with an obstruction. In a case where the device is employed in casing, this obstruction will be met when the stops engage in a space between adjacent sections or casing and their downward movement is checked. When the tubing which is being cut is a tool string, the obstruction will probably be found in a tool joint at which point the internal diameter of such string is reduced. Meeting with the obstruction, the weight of the tool and the string thereabove will cause the pin 30 to be broken, so that the plunger 26 and, through this plunger, the head 16 are forced upwardly, causing the cutters 12 to expand into engagement with the tubing, so that this tubing will be cut by the rotation of the tool. IV hen the cutting operation is complete, it is simply necessary to raise the tool when the blades will be withdrawn by the weight of the head 16 and the plunger 26. The flange 15 is a safety measure, preventing the head 16 and the plunger from falling into the hole in event the pins 19 are broken.

It will be obvious that a construction of this character may be very readily operated and will provide an efficient means for cutting casing or tool strings at points adjacent the joints thereof and accordingly at points such that a fishing string may be engaged with the section remaining in the hole with assurance that a reliable grip may be taken thereon.

Attention is directed to the fact that with a tool of this character, when it is desired that the out be made as near as possible to the bottom of the hole, the device may be lowered without rotating the same until it comes in contact with sediment or other material. blocking the bore of the tubing through which it is being passed. At this time, continued lowering of the tool will result in the plunger 26 being forced upwardly in the same manner that it would be if the stops 27 engaged against a support.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

' I claim 1. In a casing cutter, a body adapted to be extended into the casing to be cut, blades mounted in the body and extensible therefrom, a plunger mounted in the body and when shifted longitudinally operatively engaging the blades to extend the sameand centrifugally projected stop members carried by the plunger and extending therefrom to engage the casing and provide a support for the plunger when the body is rotated.

2. In a casing cutter, a'body adapted to be extended into the casing to be cut, blades mounted in the body and extensible therefrom, a plunger mounted in the body and when shifted longitudinally o eratively engaging the blades to extend t e same, centrifugally projected stop members carried by the: plunger and extending therefrom to engage the casing and provide a support for the plunger when the body is rotated, anda frangible element normally maintaining the plunger against longitudinal movement in the body. 1

3. In a casing cutter, a body adapted to be extended into the casing to be cut, blades mounted in the body and extensible therefrom, a plunger mounted in the body'and when shifted longitudinally operatively engaging the blades to extend thesame, stop members carried by the plunger, and projectible therefrom .to engage the casing and provide a support for the plunger when the body is rotated, there being a head directly engaging said blades and with which the plunger is connected to shift the same longitudinally, connections between the head and; plunger permitting relative rotation thereof and a frangible connection between the plunger and body normally preventing longitudinal movement of the plunger with relation thereto. Y v

4. In a casing cutter, a body adapted to be extended into the casing to be cut, blades mounted in the body and extensible therefrom, a plunger mounted in the .body and when shifted longitudinally operatively engaging the blades to extend the same. and centrifugally projectedstop members carried by the plunger and extending therefrom to engage the casing and provide a support for the plunger when the body is rotated, the: plunger extending below the lower end of the body.

,5. In a casing cutter, a body adapted to be extended into the casing to be cut, blades mounted in the .body and extensible there' from, a plunger mounted in the bod and when shifted longitudinally operative y engaging the blades to extend the same, stop members carried by the plunger and extending therefrom to engage the casing and provide a support for the plunger when the body is rotated, there being a head directly engaging said blades and with which the plunger. is connected to shift the same longitudinally, connections between the head and plunger permitting relative rotation thereof, and a frangible connection between the plunger and body normally preventing longitudinal movement of the plunger with relation thereto, the plunger extend-ing below the lower end of the body. I

, 6. In a casing cutter, a body having a bore and having diametrically opposed slots, blades mounted in the-body and extensible through said slots, for engagement with the a the head and normally held against rotation with relation to the body, said plunger projecting below the lower end of the body, a

pair of stop members pivoted to the plunger and adapted to move to projected positions when the plunger is rotated so that they may engage against a projection of the casing and limit the downward movement of the plunger whereby upon movement of the body the plunger will be shifted to shift the trip member and cause extension of the blades.

7. In a casing cutter, a body adapted to be lowered into the casing to be cut, cutting means mounted in the body and projectible therefrom, an operating member for the cutting means movable with relation to thebody and acting to project the cutting means as it is moved in. one direction with relation thereto and stop members for engagement with the casing to be out operatively supported from the operating member and pro-' jectible for engagement with the casing upon I rotation thereo 8. In a casing cutter, a body adapted to V be extended into the casing to be cut, cutting means mounted in the body and extensible therefrom, an operating member for the cutting means movable with relation to the body and extending the cutting means as it is moved in one direction with relation thereto, stop members for engagement with the casing to be out operatively supported from the operating member and extending for engagement with the casing upon rotation thereof, and a frangible element normally maintaining said member against move-V ment with relationto the body.

9. A casing cutter comprising relatively movable elements adapted to be lowered into the casing to'be cut, cutting means carried by one of said elements and projectible therefrom for engagement with the casing upon relative movement of the elements and centrifugally projectible stop members carried by one of said elements and. upon rotation of the elements outwardly projectible to engage the casing to hold the last named element against movement with relation to the casing to thereby permit manipulation of the other element to cause the relative movement necessary for the projection of the cutting means. i

10. In combination with a tubular body adapted for travel through and for rotation in a pipe to be cut, a cutting blade carried by said body normally housed within the body but projectible therefrom to cutting engagement with the pipe, a head slidv able in said body and having a pin and slot connection with the blade to pro ject the blade, a plunger having a thrust bearing coupling with said head, and a stop member on said plunger projectible to position for engagemenhwith an obstruction in said pipe for effecting relative movement of the body and head upon continued movement of the body following engagement of the stop member with the obstruction in said pipe;

11. In combination with a tubular body adapted for travel through and for rotation in a pipe to be cut and having longitudinal slots, cutting blades pivotally suspended in said body, projectible through said slots and having arcuate slots, a head slidable in said body having inclined faces engageable with the blades to project the blades, pins on said head slidable in said slots, a plunger slidable in and projected from said body, a thrust bearing coupling the head and plunger, a

shear pin normally anchoring the plunger V to the body, and a stop member on the plunger extensible laterally for engagement. with an obstruction in the pipe.

In. testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ROBERT A. LINCOLN.

Jon 

